The present invention relates generally to computer systems, and more particularly to power management in a computer system.
Processing circuits in computer systems can have different power requirements at different points in time. For example, idle components can use a lower voltage and less power to retain the state of various values, while active components need a higher voltage and more power. Power requirements can also vary based upon instruction execution, where greater power may be needed due to greater current draw when executing complex floating-point instructions that require a larger number of active circuits as compared to a simple shift or bit-wise logical operation.
A voltage regulator module can be used to regulate and support varying power demands. Voltage regulator modules typically use an operational-amplifier feedback based circuit that can be expensive and consume more space within a system than simpler voltage controls. The impact of voltage control design selection can be more apparent in complex systems that require multiple voltage regulator modules or voltage controls. Voltage controls that operate as simple switches can be effective but may encounter reliability issues due to premature wear out when operating at higher currents over a long period of time.